Senate Bill First, Then Tweaks Via Reconciliation
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) is not someone I usually agree with, but he’s right about this:
The Senate Democrats’ top budget guy told reporters today that the Senate can’t pass a reconciliation package tweaking a comprehensive health care bill unless the House passes the Senate bill first. And if the House won’t do that, he says health care reform is “dead.”
“The only way this works is for the House to pass the Senate bill and then, depending on what the package is, the reconciliation provision that moves first through the House and then comes here,” said Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) outside the upper chamber this morning. “That’s the only way that works.”
I pointed out that House leadership, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has repeatedly insisted they won’t take a flier on a reconciliation package–that they will only pass the Senate bill after the smaller side-car reconciliation bill has been all wrapped up.
“Fine, then it’s dead,” Conrad said.
And if Nancy Pelosi and other House Democrats are willing to kill health care reform over something like this, then fine, too. They will pay for it in November.
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19 Responses to “Senate Bill First, Then Tweaks Via Reconciliation”
This is more like Bumper Cars than gridlock. Get rid of the Cloture rule and let's move on Rs and Ds.
Silly Kathy, as we all know it would be partisan for the democrats to actually get something done when they have a majority – *especially* if their success means that the voters will be *tricked* into approving of them.
You need to make amends for your sinful thoughts – four Hail Tax Cuts and three Appeals to the Holy Shrine of Wall Street Journal, before bedtime.
Conrad is wrong, which happens more often than Montanans should be comfortable with. The House is well within its rights and on the smarter side of history to not trust the Senate and demand a good faith showing by passing the necessary fixes. The House can then pass the Senate bill with associated fixes which can then be signed into law in the correct order. It would be foolishness to demand anything less than full accountable up front from the Senate.
“And if Nancy Pelosi and other House Democrats are willing to kill health care reform over something like this, then fine, too. They will pay for it in November.”
You've got that part wrong, Kat. They'll pay for it in November if the continue to PUSH to pass it. They'll pay in November if they drop it as well.
Bottom Line: They pay in November – - Regardless.
All of my Democratic representatives have abondoned the healthcare bill, as have all of them in 2 other border states (all red states – but highly democratic). I believe that trend will be the norm and even reconciliation will not have the votes.
Healthcare reform is dead (for now)….. But I hope they actually pick up REAL reform for another bill.
Two questions arise,
First will Pelosi play ball.
Second, even if she is willing, does she have the votes. There is a bit of speculation out there that she doesn't.
Or they could do what the American people actually want and start over from scratch, passing individual items piecemeal and not packages so we get the Progressive Shopping network bundled with the history channel. The smaller bill approach worked for the democrats with the Jobs bill, they will have more success with it on healthcare too, that is if they listen to people outside their inner circle like the American public.
There was a good article on the San Jose Mercury News today. The point was rather than stick with the broken system, or go to government regulation, maybe we should change the system so it actually provides choice and real competition. Something nobody seem to talk about…
http://themoderatevoice.com/64057/senate-bill-f…
Oops. that link should have been….
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_14456087
start over from scratch,”
It still would be a problem with the cloturerule hanging over everyone's head. I don't care who started it, it is a boil that needs to pierced or a cancer that needs to be removed no matter who has used it, abused it, it has to go. Initially the Reps may suffer, but the pendulum law is still in effect.
I disagree, as i like the filibuster as a safeguard no matter which party is in power. Now that partisanship is on the rise, I feel its more important than ever. My feelings were the same when the GOP had the majority.
but not until then.'
Nice to see we don't agree on everything, like the other side.
Watch it with that kind of talk! There's only two reasonable approaches to health care reform: single payer and tort reform, and this guy didn't properly fit into either one. Give up that silly reading thing, and watch at least 100 hours of MSNBC or Fox (but not both, it could hurt you). If you think independent thoughts, your side will lose.
Oh, and if you haven't picked one of those two sides yet, you've already lost.
I guess I have to remind you: do you really want this pendulum to swing faster?
http://brightcove.vo.llnwd.net/d6/unsecured/media/1119379849/1119379849_1593323861_4599f5ecd1779b2cd90994ca8cbc2e6465a05350.jpg” rel=”nofollow”>http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:93uBPA9Cxxa_…
So long as you don't announce it too loudly and indiscreetly, and risk failure of a Trojan horse kind of bill, yes, you can save the unethical (and still desperate) maneuvers for later; it's possible, I guess.
“the Progressive Shopping network bundled with the [Revised History] [and Klimate Psyence Channels]“
Elaborated.
“They will pay for it in November.”
I continue to be amazed by people who think passing a radioactively unpopular bill will somehow help the Democrats in November.
I guess I have to remind you: do you really want this pendulum to swing faster?”
I think so. Was congress able to work before the cloture rule? I know, it's different now, but call me a cockeyed optimist.
It's been working with the cloture rule for a long time.
It's been working with the cloture rule for a long time.”
Ok